Jaminet appeals against long ban
JAMES HARRINGTON
FRENCH COLUMN
FRANCE international Melvyn Jaminet is to appeal against a 34- week suspension and €30,000 fine imposed by the FFR's disciplinary committee for posting a video to social media during the July tour of Argentina and Uruguay in which he made racist comments.
He was removed from the touring party and sent home within hours of his comments going public, and issued a public apology, which read: “I am deeply sorry and ashamed of my words. I want to apologise to everyone. I understand that this may have hurt and offended many people.”
Even so, there were always going to be consequences after the video went viral, for all that his lawyer insisted that, but for an accidental slip of the finger, it wasn't intended for public consumption. Those consequences were always going to be heavy. They could have been heavier still. But few expected the FFR's disciplinary committee to come down quite so hard, even allowing for the fact Jaminet could reduce it by up to eight weeks if he undertakes some rugby-related community service.
There is, however, a precedent for the scale of the suspension – in September 2021, former Provence scrum-half Ludovic Radosavljevic was suspended for 26 weeks after a racist insult at then-Nevers' winger Christian Ambadiang during a ProD2 match. He was later sacked by the club and then barred from switching codes to join the Avignon rugby league side.
His Top 14 club, Toulon, have also launched disciplinary proceedings. We have yet to hear if they too will sanction him – though a public statement pending any decision spoke of ‘support' and ‘redemption', which suggests that there are no immediate plans to sack a player they only recruited in November.
No date has yet been set to hear Jaminet's appeal against the severity of his FFR suspension and fine. If, however, the current punishment is upheld, he will be out of action until January at the earliest.
That would leave Toulon with twin playing problems. Without Jaminet, the squad is light at fullback, following the departure of Aymeric Luc for Pau at the end of last season.
A couple of players could fill in, but their specialist full-back stocks, Jaminet excluded, run to three academy players: Marius Domon, 22, Barnabe Mechentel, 19, and Alberto Carmona, 20.
Spaniard Carmona should be out of the senior reckoning for this season, because he does not yet hold JIFF status, and Toulon have maxxed out on the number of non-JIFF players they can call to the senior squad, leaving Domon – who has 11 Top 14 outings and two Challenge Cup appearances to his name – and Mechentel, who has yet to feature in a senior match. Domon may get a run at 15, but there's little chance he would play every game between now and January. Toulon need cover, there. Urgently.
Internal stocks aren't great. Perhaps slightly unusually, in this multi-positional age, not one of Toulon's available wingers has started a senior match at full-back.
Setariki Tuicuvu, who joined from Brive at the end of the 2022/23 campaign, is the most obvious immediate in-club senior solution.
Although used mostly in mid- field during his first season in Toulon colours, he does at least have a full-back-playing background. Most of his appearances for Clermont between 2016 and 2019 were at 15, after all.
“Toulon are likely to need a fully fit Dan Bigger who is one of their kicking options”
Veteran Jeremy Sinzelle, too, has done a job at the back over the course of his career. But – after a strong first season at Toulon following his switch from La Rochelle – he has slipped down the pecking order. He started only five Top 14 and two Champions Cup games last season.
Duncan Paia'aua, Mathieu Smaili and summer arrival Antoine Frisch have limited experience at 15 – but have at least played there, even if in the latter twos' case it's just once start each.
Reports have hinted that Toulon are again looking Toulouse's way for a solution. After signing first Cheslin Kolbe and then Jaminet from the champions, they may be interested in bringing Italian international Ange Capuozzo to Stade Mayol, French outlets L'Equipe and Actu Rugby have reported.
He has JIFF status, which Toulon absolutely need. And it's thought he may be open to more playing opportunities given the ridiculous stocks in his positions at Toulouse – Thomas Ramos, Blair Kinghorn, Matthis Lebel, Juan Cruz Mallia, Setareki Bituniyata, and Arthur Retiere.
It's true that Capuozzo found it tough to break back into the team after injury cut short his Six Nations – he was only in the Top 14 final 23 and able to finish off that clock-in-the-red, 100m, length-ofthe-Velodrome try because Lebel had withdrawn with injury.
Such a move, however, would almost certainly depend on the severity of any sanction the club level at Jaminet. It seems that Toulon are waiting on the appeal.
Which still leaves us wondering how they might deal with his absence. If Toulon are light at 15, they are slightly better positioned in the kicking stakes, with Dan Biggar, below, Paulo Garbisi, Enzo Herve and Baptiste Serin on the books.
Biggar could well have the most to gain from a possible lengthy Jaminet absence after struggling through an injury-hit season in the Var, in which he started nine games.
In April, the club's owner, Bernard Lemaitre, told regional newspaper Var Matin that he questioned Biggar's long-term future at the club – the Wales international signed a deal through to the end of the 2024/25 campaign.
In response, Biggar insisted he would see out his contract, and perhaps add on another year.
He's had a break this summer at least, so hopefully he's fully fit and raring to go. It looks like Toulon are going to need him.
